Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (updated 10.25)
One tough mother

// The skinny: A few years after the events of T2, the Connors are still in hiding. But when another Terminator is sent back to protect them, they decide to pre-emptively strike at Skynet before it can go online.

// Review: I've decided to re-write my thoughts again about this show now I've seen 1.5 seasons. Initially when this was announced I was mildly interested. But when it was announced that Lena Headley (300) was playing Sarah Connor, well I mean just look her. She is such a great example of classic beauty.

/ What were we talking about again? Oh yeah, some low budget 1 hour product placement mess. Besides one highly excellent scene of Headley in a mini-skirt, the pilot wasn't anything special. Since then it's just continued to stay the course of rampant mediocrity.

/ The biggest problem I have with this show is that it's using the new gritty-vomit-cam realism, but it's written like a bad comic book. They are supposed to be drifters continually on the run and yet they have a fleet of brand new Dodge vehicles and live in a fully furnished magazine quality home. The mix of the two is so jarring it's too distracting to suspend my belief for 45 minutes. In one scene Sarah Connor is relaxing on a couch, sipping a coffee while staring out from her open air veranda. Then she reads The Wizard of Oz to a 10 year old boy she kidnapped to protect from another Terminator. Yes that happened.

/ Terminators (the smartest computer evar) go out of their way to blend in and look like humans, but then they get their hit lists from the Yellow Pages and committ genocide in public with no regard for who sees them or collateral damage. That's only one of many logic raping conundrums in every episode.

/ So bad writing compounded by bad production values and bad talent. All of the scenes from the future take place in sewers and might included one 2-3 second horribly executed CGI shot. Thomas Dekker is spectcular if the savior of the human race is supposed to be a whiny self-entitled douche. And BRIAN AUSTIN FREAKIN PEACH PIT AFTER DARK GREEN went from guest star to cast regular in 2 episodes. Ugh. And Summer Glau who plays the robotic female love interest gives an uneven performance as an elf zombie.

// Wrap up: If you can't wait until the next Terminator with Christian Bale, go rent T2. Is this show good? Not really. Ah, but is it worth watching? <shrug>

Entertainment rating: 2